Needle motion for axminster looms



W. W. ROBERTSON NEEDLE MOTION FOR AXMINSTER LOOMS Filed June 15, 192'! 2Sheets-Sheet l fizrm/ar I M/Am /m/zm Dem 18, 1928. v

' W. W. ROBERTSON NEEDLE MOTION FOR AXMINSTER' LOOIS 2 Shasta-Sheet 2Filed June 13, 1927 Patented Dec. 18, 1928 more!) STATES PATENT OFFICE.

WILLIAM W. ROBERTSON, OF WORCESTER, MASSACHUSETTS, ASSIGNOR TO CROMP-TON & KNOVLES LOOM WORKS, OF WORCESTER, MASSACHUSETTS, A CORPORA- rronor MASSACHUSETTS.

- NEEDLE MOTION FOR AXMINSTER LOOMS.

- Application filed. June 13,

This invention relates to needle motions for Axminster looms and it isthe principal object of the invention to provide means for increasingthe dwell of they needle when in the shed to allow more timefor theoperation of the selvage shuttle.

In the usual Axminister loom there is employed long needle inserted fromone side of the loom through the open shed, said needle carrying thefillingand having an eye in the advancing end thereof. A small shuttleon that side of the cloth oppositethe side from which the needle entersthe shed is made to traverse the path of the eye of the needle when thelatter has passed entirely through the shedso as to interlace theselvago thread with the filling.

in recent attempts to increase the speed of wide Axminster looms it hasbeen found that the needle because of its weight and length vibratessufficiently to interfere with f o perfect operation of the selvageshuttle.

is an important object of my present invention to provide a needlemotion for a loom running at an. increased speed but win. ein the needleor the eye'ofv the needle is on a slight dwell to permit the passage ofage shuttle so that the operation of r may he more certain.

. also found that the increase in the of an Axminsterloom results instrainparts which actuate the needle and another object of my inventionto pro r. a means for. absorbing the sl1oclrincito the motion of aneedle to theend the latter may get into motion'mo're lually than wouldotherwise be the case rout my present invention.

4 a morespecific object of my invention ivide an improved drive for thecable no of an Axminster needle motion in a collapsible connector isinterposed. "i the Constantly drivingpart andthe s associated with thedrum, said colle part permitting a continued movement on the part of thedriving mechanism while-the needle is at rest to permit the operation ofthe selvage shuttle.

Nith these and otherobjects in view which will appear as thedescriptionproceeds, my invention resides in the combination andarrangement of parts hereinafter described and forth in theolaims.

In the accompanying drawings, wherein I x 1927. Serial No. 198,393.

have shown a convenient embodiment of my invention, I I I I Fig. 1 is aside elevation of the right hand end of an Axminster loom shuttle motionshowing the needle motion with my improvements applied thereto, I IIFig. 2 is a vertical section on line 22 of 1 Fig. 3 is a fragmentaryhorizontal section on line 3 3 of Fig. 1,

Fig. at is a top plan new of the selvage" shuttle and operating partstaken in the direction of arrow a, Fig. 1,

Fig. 5 is a detailed view on an enlarged scale showing the collapsibleportion of the connection between the regularly moving driving part andthe actuating segment, parts being in section, and I Fi 6 is a view ofthe portion of mechanism shown in Fig. 1 but with the parts in adifferent position. I r 1 Referringto'the drawings it will be seen thatI have provided an end frame 10 which may project fromthe ri ht hand endof the loom and have journa ed therein a constantly rotating shaft 11carrying a crank arm 12. Said shaft 11 may be driven in any approvedmanner forming no part of my invention and may have either a uniform oravariablemovement. A segment 18is pivoted at 14: to the frame and hasteeth 15 which mesh with the pinion 16 moving with a drum 17 Said drumactuates a cable or rope 18 which moves around fixed guide sheave 19 andmovable guide sheave 20.

.In order to take up slack iii-cable 18 I provide a lever 21 having'oneend weighted as at 22 and the other end provided with a' bearing 23 forthe movable guide, sheave 20.

A. hold pawl 24: .ispivoted to the framerlO at 25 and cooperates with asegmental ratchet 26 to hold said lever 21 in any of its adjustedpositions. The lever '21 will move the sheave 20 to the right whensufficient slack in the rope 18 permits of such; movement, and the pawl24 will engage :theteeth 0fthe ratchet 26 to preventretrograde move-vment. i I

A needle block 27 is secured to the cable and slides on a 'guide28 todirectmovement of the needle 29 as the latter reciprocates in ahorizontal'line into and out of the warp shed. .As the crank arm 12moves in the direction. or arrow A the segment, pinion and drum will actto move the needle'back and forth so that the weft W may be in serted inthe fabric.

011 that side of the cloth opposite the needle motion is the usualselvage shuttle motion comprising a stand through which extends anupright oscillating shaft 31 to which is secured an actuator arm 32. Theselvage shuttle 33 moves in an arcuate guide slot 34 formed in a stand35 and a mouth 36 is provided for receiving the eye end of the needle29. The latter may be positioned against upward movement by a guard 37moving with the arm 32 and a pad or block 38 held on the stand 30 mayposition the needle to prevent the same from being too low. I do notconsider the guard and block necessary but they have been found inpractice to assist in the placing of the needle when wide Axminsterlooms operate at high speed.

An arm 39 fast with the upright oscillating shaft 31 is attached to aconnector 40 which receives reciprocatin movements from mechanism notshown, tlie reciprocation of said rod 10 requiring the shuttle 33 tomove back and forth in the arcuate slot 34 so that the nose of theshuttle will pass through a reduced part a1 of the needle 29 andthroughthe loop in the fillin The thread S which extends from the selvage tothe shuttle in this way holds the weft W as the needle returns to theright hand side of the loom. The matter thus far described is of commonconstruction and forms no part of my present invention and may beconstructed and operated as well understood by those skilled in the art.The slack taking up device of which lever 21 is a part is notnecessarily employed and my invention is not confined to the use of anyparticular form of shuttle motion for the selvage thread.

As previously stated my invention has as an important object theprovision of means for causing a dwell in the eye of the needle to allowmore time for the passage of the selvage shuttle. The particular meansfor accomplishing this result as shown herein includes an improved formof connector between the arm 12 on the driving shaft 11 and the segment13. Accordingly, I pivot the connector to the crank arm 12 and providesaid connector with a cross head 52 having portions extending on eitherside of the central line of the connector. in each end of the cross headI secure bolts 53 which extend through a bearing member 5 1- hav ingpivotal connection with a stud '55 fast on the segment 13. Heavycompression springs 56 surround the bolts 58 and lie between the crosshead 52 and the bearing 5 1. A tongue 57 projects from the cross headand has an end adapted for engagement with a part of the bearing 54. 7

An abutment 60ihaving a block 61 is secured to the frame 10 and may havea shock absorbing face formed of leather or other movement the partswill be in the full line position shown in Fig. 6 with the crank armmoving in the direction. of arrow A. As the arm 12 moves upwardly theconnector 50 w ill start to move inwardly gradually and the springs 56will transmit the thrust of the connector 50 to the bearing 54- and thelatter in turn will tend to move the segment 13 about the pivot 14:. Ifthe drum and other parts of the needle moving mechanism are slow ingetting into motion due to their weight the springs 56 will compressslightly as the arm 12 continues to move about its center and if theparts have not gotten into motion by the time the tongue 57 engages thebearing 5 1 these two parts will establish direct connection between thearm 12 and the segment 13 so as to cause the needle moving parts to moveat the correct speed.

After the parts have been set in motion and the segment has moved to theleft from the position shown in Fig. 6 the end of the rack or toothedpart 15 will engage the abutment 50 when the crank arm 12 and theconnector 50 are in some such a position as that indicated in lightdotted lines in Fig. 1. The segment is brought to rest when the needleis properly positioned and the selvage shuttle 33 may therefore beginits movement along the. slot 3 1 to' lay the selvage thread through theloop of the filling Vi. The needle will continue to remain at rest whilethe arm 12 moves from the position in light dotted lines to that shownin full lines and will remain at rest until the arm and connector reachthe position shown in heavy dotted lines in Fig. 1. During this movementthe springs 56 are compressed, said springs providing means whereby thecrank arm 12 can continue to move while the needle remains at rest.

By referring to Fig. 1 it will be seen that the needle will be at restwhile the. crank arm is passing through a comparatively large part ofits angular movement around shaft 11. The length of time permissible forthe flight of the shuttle 33 is of course determined by the length ofdwell of the needle or needle eye. I find with the use of the device setforth herein that the shut tle can move at a comparatively slow rate ofspeed so that when the looms to which the invention are applied arespeeded up to run at a considerablyit'aster rate the shu tle motions canmove practically at their original speed so as to insure proper movementthereofwithout the danger of misthreading or breaking either the fillingor selvage warp.

lit;

From the foregoing it will be seen that I have provided means forproducing a dwell in the motion of the needleeye, this result beingaccomplished by a form of connection between the driving shaft of theneedle motion and the segment, the connection yielding to cause orpermit a dwell in the movement of the needle. This connection also tendsto absorb the shock which usually results when the needle motion isrequired to operate at .an increased rate.

Having thus described my, invention it will be apparent that changes andmodifications may be made therein by those skilled in the art withoutdeparting from the spirit and scope of the invention and I do not wishto be limited to the details herein disclosed, but what I claim is:

1. In a needle motion for Axminster looms having a selvage shuttle,a'c'onstantly moving driving mechanism, operating mechanism tor theneedle, a stop for said operating mechanism, and a motion absorbingconnection between the driving mechanism and the operating mechanism,said operating mechanism being brought into engagement with the stopduring a portion of the move ment of. the constantly moving drivingmechanism, said connection absorbing motion from the driving mechanismas tne latter continues to move and the needle operating mechanismremains substantially at rest.

2. In a needle motion for Axminster looms having a selvage shuttle, aregularly moving driving mechanism, operating mechanism for the needle,a fixed stop to be engaged by a part of the operating mechanism, and ayielding connection between the driving mechanism and the operatingmechanism to move said operating mechanism. against tie stop as thedriving mechanism moves and to yield as the driving mechanism continuesto move whiletheoperating mechanism ar rested by the stop.

. In a needle motion for Axminster looms having a seivage shuttle, aregularlymoving member, operating mechanism for the needle including anoscillating segment, a stop for the segment, and a yielding connectorbetween the regularly moving meniber and the segment to yield undernormal operating conditions as the regularly moving member continues tomove while the segment is in contact with the stop to produce a dwell inthe motion ofthe needle.

4. In a needle motion for Axminster looms having a selvage shuttle, adrivingmember having a regular movement in a rotary path, operatingmechanism for the'needle including a segment to oscillate, a stop forthe segment, a connector between the driving member and the segment, andyielding means forming part of the connector and interposed between thesegment and the member to yield during the regular movement of'theneedle motion while the member continues to move in its rotary path whenthe stop is in, engagement with the segment.

5. In a needle motion for Axminster looms having a selvage shuttle,regularly moving driving mechanism, operating mechanism for the needle,a yielding connection between the driving and operating mechanisms, andfined means to cause a. periodic yielding of said connection during thenormal operation of the loom to cause a dwell in the move ment of theneedle and the operating mechanism therefor as the driving mechanismcontinues to move. 7 V V 6. In a needle motion -for Axminster loomshaving a selvage shuttle, a regularly moving driving mechanism,operating mechanism to move the needle, and yielding means to transmitthe movement'ot the driving mechanism to the operating mechanism, saidyielding means being compressed during the normal operation of the loomto cause a dwell in the movement of the needle and the operatingmechanism therefor as the driving mechanism continues to move. I

7. In an Axminster loom having a selvage shuttle, a wel't laying needle,a regularly moving driving mechanism, operating connections operativelyconnecting theneedle and the driving mechanism at all times, saidconnections including a yielding element and means'to arrest movement ofthe needle during the normal operation of the loom and. cause yieldingof the connections as the driving mechanism continues to move.

8. In an Axminster loom having a selvage shuttle, a weft laying needle,a regularly moving driving mechanism, operating mechanism for theneedle, a yielding connection to communicate driving power to the needlej operating mechanism and interposed between the operating and drivingmechanisms, and

means to limit movement of the needle on its weft laying stroke duringthe normal operation or the loom, said means causing a yielding of. theconnections as the driving mechanism continues tomove.

9. .In an Axminster loom having a selvage shuttle, a weft laying needlehaving an eye on one end through which the weft extends,

regularly moving driving mechanism, ojper ating connections including ayielding mem ing the normal operation of the loom to hold the eye 01?the needle and the operating connections therefor fixed with respect tothe her to communicate driving power to the: needle operatingmechanism,and means to cause a regular yielding of said member dur- Axminsterlooms having a selvage shuttle, a regularly moving driving shaft havinga needle-inserting movement, operating mechanism for needle,

the needle including a fixed pinion and a segment meshing therewith, ayicldable connection between the shaft and the operating n'echanism forthe needle, and means to arrest movement of the needle and the operatingmechanism therefor prior to completion of the needle inserting movementof the shaft and during the last part of the needle inserting movement0:5 the shalt.

11. in a needle motion for Arminster looms having a selvage shuttle, aconstantly moving driver for said needle, operating connections for theneedle, motion absorbing means including two relatively movableco-acting elements interposed between the driver and the operatingconnections, and means to hold one of the elements of the motionabsorbing means stationary during a portion of the movement of thedriver, whereby a part only of the movement of the driver iscommunicated to the needle.

12. In a needle motion for Arminster looms, a needle to be reciprocatcd,an oscillatable segment operatively connected to the a regularly movingdriving men: or, a ionnector interposed between the driver and segmentto communicate motion from the driving member to the segii'icnt, andyieldable means forming part oi": the connector to absorb motion or thedriver when the motion of the segment is arrested.

13. In a needle motion-for .anminf looms, a needle to be rcciprocated,an oscillatable segment operatively connected to the needle. a regularlymoving driving member, a connector interposed between the driver andsegment to communicate motion from the driving member to the segment,yieldable means "forming part oi the connector to absorb motion of thedriver when the motion of the segment, arrested, and a stop to engagethe segment to arrest motion thereof.

14.111 a needle motion for Amninster looms, a needle to be reciprocated,an oscillat able segment operatively connected to the needle, aregularly moving driving member, a connector interposed between thedriver and segment to communicate motion from the driving member to thesegment, and

yieldable means forming part of the con neck) to absorb motion of; theLll'lVl' when the nliotion or" the so rent arr= ted, said connectorhaving provision for hinitin tive movement of the segment and thedriving member in the direction in which the yielding means permitsrel..t1ve movement or": the driver and se ment.

15.111 a needle motion for lllznninster looms, a needle to bereciprocated, an oscillatable segment operatively connected to theneedle, a regularly moving driving member, a connector interposedbetween the driver and segment to communicate motion from the drivingmember to the segment, and yicldable means forming part of the connector to'absorb motion of the driver when the motion of the segment isarrested, said connector having a tongue to be operatively related tothe segment to limit movement of the segment toward the driver.

16. an a needle motion for Axminster looms, an oscillatable segment, aregularly moving driver, a connector interposed operatively between thedriver and the segment, a bearing carried by the segment and havingsliding contact with portion of the connector, and yielding meansinterposed between the connector and the bearing.

17. In a needle motion for Axminster looms, an oscillatable segment, aregularly moving driver, a connector interposed operatively between thedriver and the segment, a bearing carried by the segment and havingsliding contact with a portion of the connector, yielding meansinterposed between the connector and the bearing, and a tongue carriedby the connector to engage the bearing to limit movement of the segmenttoward the driver. I

18. In a needle motion for Axminstcr looms, an oscillatable segment, aregularly moving driver, a connector interposed operatively between thedriver and the segment, a. l caring carried by the segment and havingsliding contact with a portion of the connector, yielding meansinterposed between the connector and the bearing, and means between thebearing and connector to limit relative movement of said bearing andconnector when the yielding means permits relative movement of thesegment and the driver. r

19. in a needle motion for an AXminster loom, a driving member movablethrough a given interval of time, a needle, a movable segment and 1 redpinion device operatively connected to the needle, said needle anddevice being movable through a correspondingly shorter interval of time,and motion absorbing mechanism interposed operatively between the deviceand the member to absorb motion from the member while the lattor movesafter the expiration of the time interval of the needle and device.

In testimony whereof I have hereunto afs fixed my signature.

.WILLIAM lV. ROBERTSON.

